Interview with Dilemma Band
By Nóra McIntyre
This past Friday I got the chance to sit down with the band Dilemma before their show at the Pub. We discussed their music career, and their experience as musicians in Fairbanks.
Dilemma has been a mainstay in Fairbanks for nearly a decade. The band first got together in 2014, when they covered the Arctic Monkeys as part of The Great Cover Up, a musical event which helps raise funds for the Literacy Council of Alaska. Since that night the band has grown, and today it includes Alisha Thompson on vocals, guitar and violin, Alex Thompson on drums, Luke Ponchione on bass, and Josh Tullar on vocals and guitar.
Dilemma does not claim any specific genre. Rather, their sound is influenced by the eclectic aesthetic tastes of its band members. Instead of electing a “leader” of the band, the musicians prefer to work collaboratively, with everyone bringing something of their own to create a unique sound. Dilemma cites the Arctic Monkeys and Radiohead as artists that they all get behind, and which influence their music. Dilemma also finds that the cold and dark of the environment leads to more contemplative and esoteric undertones in their music, and one band member mentioned the influence of Dostoevsky on songwriting. These days the band is streaming and getting inspired by Cat Clyde, Sundog, Beck, Hers, Yndi Halda, Taylor Swift, and Disney soundtracks (for the parents in the group).
As to the music scene in Fairbanks, Dilemma is excited for a revival in open mics and other events that have been less active throughout the pandemic. The Pub, The Marlin, and Goldie’s are just a few spots in town that hold open mics where musicians can network, form bands, or get experience performing. Dilemma is also thankful to the Fairbanks community, who remains enthusiastic and continues to show up to support new music. They encourage people to keep showing support for blossoming artists, and to take the first step if you are interested in getting started as a musician. Dilemma also shared some highlights of their extensive musical career, such as playing for the Great Cover Up, shows at the Pub, the Blue Loon, as well as opening for Jane’s Addiction, and performing at the Ester Dome for a film promotion.
If you want to connect with Dilemma’s music, it is available on all streaming platforms. There are multiple bands called Dilemma, so the band suggests searching for the album Biped Ungrateful to find them. They are also active on Facebook and Instagram, and have link trees attached to their social media sites.